Ab Locrian
A minor diatonic mode with a minor 2nd and diminished 5th above the tonic; its tonic triad is unstable.
Octaves
Musical context
How the mode relates to the scale, chord, key and progression.
Theory
General info
- Name
- Ab Locrian
- Family
- Diatonic modes
- Note count
- 7
- Step formula
- H – W – W – H – W – W – W
Notes & degrees
1Abroot
b2Aminor 2nd
b3Cbminor 3rd
4Dbperfect 4th
b5Ddim 5th
b6Fbminor 6th
b7Gbminor 7th
Characteristic degrees
IIAlowered 2nd degree
VDlowered 5th degree
Construction
- Overview
- A minor diatonic mode with a minor 2nd and diminished 5th above the tonic; its tonic triad is unstable.
- Application in music
- Pairs with m7b5 chords. Its diminished tonic triad makes the tonal centre difficult to establish.
- Interval formula
- AbHAWCbWDbHDWFbWGb
- Reference mode
- Ab Aeolian
Ab Aeolian
IAb
IIBb
IIICb
IVDb
VEb
VIFb
VIIGb
Ab Locrian
IAb
IIA
IIICb
IVDb
VD
VIFb
VIIGb
How the mode is built
- Position in the system
- Degree 7 of the parent major scale
- Parent scale
- A majorLocrian mode — degree 7 of the scale
- Parallel major
- Ab majormajor from the same tonic
Sibling modes
Chords by degree
Tensions & resolutions
Stable degrees
IAbnominal centretonic
IIICbdefines modal qualitythird
Typical resolutions & tensions
IIICbCb
IVDbDb
In a dominant context, scale degree 4 normally descends by step to 3.
IAbAb
IIAA
Scale degree 2 may descend to tonic; the motion is especially close when degree 2 is lowered.
This mode on guitar 🎸
See how Ab Locrian looks on guitar.
Circle of fifths
The major key on the same tonic and its neighbouring keys on the circle of fifths.
Connections
Practice
Keyboard Trainer
Reinforce it in practice — play and name notes on the interactive keyboard.